IIT Madras Partners with Hindustan Zinc to Develop Advanced Zinc-Air Battery Technology

Chennai:  In a landmark move supporting the ongoing global energy transition, Hindustan Zinc Limited (NSE: HINDZINC), India’s largest and the world’s second-largest integrated zinc producer, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras).

This strategic collaboration aims to develop a ground breaking 1 kWh electrically-rechargeable Zinc-Air battery prototype, reaffirming both institutions’ commitment to advancing the future of sustainable energy solutions.

This partnership marks a significant step forward in the evolution of zinc-based battery technologies, leveraging zinc's abundant resource availability, cost-effectiveness and established safety record.

While lithium-ion batteries currently dominate the market, their high cost, limited resource availability and safety concerns present major challenges that zinc-based alternatives can effectively address.

Speaking about this collaboration, Mr. Arun Misra, CEO, Hindustan Zinc Limited, said, “Zinc, a critical metal across numerous industries, is set to play a crucial role in the global energy transition. Our metal offers a sustainable and economically viable alternative to lithium in energy storage technology.  Our partnership with IIT Madras will advance research on zinc-air battery technology, that will redefine the future of energy storage. By exploring new applications of zinc in energy storage, we are committed to contributing to a greener and more sustainable future for the generations to come.”

Leading the research team from IIT Madras, Prof. Aravind Kumar Chandiran, Head of Hyundai Hydrogen Innovation Hub, IIT Madras, brings extensive expertise in energy storage solutions like solar cells and zinc-air batteries. His research team has already developed a prototype rechargeable Zinc-Air battery and holds three Indian patents for innovations in leak resistance, anode recharging and anode replacement design. This collaboration aims to enhance energy storage systems, with potential applications in renewable energy, data centers and telecommunications.

Highlighting the expected outcomes, Prof. Aravind Kumar Chandiran, who is also a faculty in the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Madras, said, “"Zinc-air batteries offer a promising solution for overcoming the challenges faced by current energy storage technologies. Our partnership with Hindustan Zinc allows us to leverage our expertise in zinc-air battery research and their industry leadership in metals to develop innovative solutions that act as significant energy storage systems for EVs and stationary storage systems. The successful development of this prototype will accelerate India’s capabilities in advanced battery technologies and pave the way for further innovations in the field”

Prof. Manu Santhanam, Dean, Office of Industrial Consultancy & Sponsored Research, IIT Madras, expressed his enthusiasm for the collaboration: ”We are glad to partner with Hindustan Zinc Limited to develop next generation zinc-air batteries with inhouse resources and technologies. Our partnership will strengthen India’s goal on self-reliant energy."

This MoU with IIT Madras complements Hindustan Zinc's ongoing efforts in the battery storage space. Recently, the company signed an MoU with Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research (JNCASR) to develop next-generation zinc-ion batteries. Prior to that, Hindustan Zinc partnered with AEsir Technologies, Inc., a US-based company specializing in next-generation nickel-zinc battery technologies.